
SABBATH-SCHOOL LESSON QUARTERLY.
21
Notes.
1.
irergerItti.—"Whenever the life of God is in the hearts
of
-
men, it will flow out to others in love and blessing." "Of
God he hath been begotten and doth know God" is Dr.
Young's rendering of the last clause of verse 7. The new birth
is a past experience, but knowing God is always a present ex-
perience. It is not only true that God loves and is a source of
love, but "God is love," and this is the essence of the whole
gospel. There can be no discord in the home, the church, or
the community when the love of God abides in all hearts.
God's love to us is not simply an abstract thing, but it was
shown in a most practical way (John 3: 16). Man lost his
life by sin (Gen. 2: 17), and Christ came to restore life (John
10: 10), which is wholly the gift of God (Rom. 6: 23). "Had
not God specially interposed, Satan and man would have en-
tered into an alliance against heaven, and, instead of cherish-
ing enmity against Satan, the whole human family would
have been united in opposition to God." "The reconciliation
of mercy and justice did not involve any compromise with sin,
or ignore any claim of justice; but, by giving to each divine
attribute its ordained place, mercy could be exercised in the
punishment of sinful, impenitent man without destroying its
clemency or forfeiting its compassionate character, and justice
could be exercised in forgiving the repenting transgressor
without violating its integrity." "Said the angel, Think ye
that the Father yielded up His beloved Son without a strug-
gle? No, no. It was even a struggle with the God of heaven,
whether to let guilty man perish, or to give His beloved Son
to die for him."
2.
V.ersea
:
1.244.—Men can not see God with the natural eye,
but they ought to see His character wrought out in Chris-
tians. "Perhaps they do not read the Bible, or do not hear the
voice that speaks to them in its pages; they do not see the love
of God through His works. But if you are a true representa-
tive of Jesus, it may be that through you they will be led to
understand something of His goodness, and be won to love
and serve Him." The Spirit is given to those who ask for
it (Luke 11: 13), but the asking must be in the name of Jesus
(John 16:23, 24). But to pray in the name of Jesus is some-
thing more than a mere mention of that name at the beginning
and ending of a prayer. It is to pray in the mind and spirit of
Jesus, while we believe His promises, rely upon His grace,
and work His works." The purpose of Christ in coming to this
"There shall be delay no longer"—our confidence.